Would you spend 10% of ppor value on the front garden?

Thats the whole question really...

I've heard this is a guideline budget for developing the front landscape. It seems a lot but is it reasonable? The house is in a nice area and is one of the shabbier ones on the street (on the outside/ inside has been modernised).

A completed design concept with levels calculated is upwards of $3000.
 
Thats the whole question really...10% of val for landscaping?
Are you insane? :p Normally you'd only spend 10-15% on everything reno.
Having said that - it depends. What is the val of the PPOR?

I've heard this is a guideline budget for developing the front landscape.
Where'd you hear this?

It seems a lot but is it reasonable?
It is a lot and its probably not reasonable (for a vlaue-add at least. If you just want a nice garden for you PPOR - go for your life :)

The house is in a nice area and is one of the shabbier ones on the street (on the outside/ inside has been modernised).
Maybe condider modernising the front as well first?

A completed design concept with levels calculated is upwards of $3000.
:eek:
 
Well it seems to be a "guide" by the landscape architects themselves. My friend google told me. I think it must include things like fences, pools and decks but I'm not sure.

Anyway, all I want is the front aspect designed. That is still upwards of $3K. :eek:
 
Hi Tizzy

I've used a landscape designer for the back yard of our PPOR but the design itself was about $800 (with quite a specific brief from our side). They came up with a few good ideas and did the hardscaping so for my first project I thought it was worthwhile.

Having seen what they do though I wouldn't use a designer again as landscaping has become a bit of a hobby of mine and you can just copy / modify designs that you see around the neighbourhood/in magazines.

Have fun!

kaf
 
Thousands? Good lord, my front yard cost me about $200. A dozen or so nice sculptural natives (dianella, lomandra and proteas), my own sweat killing the remnants of the nettle infested lawn and levelling it, and a load of pretty gravel mulch. Found some artsy looking white rocks in the backyard and arranged them tastefully in the middle. I still need to get a tree professionally removed but that shouldn't cost much.

The backyard has cost more just because it is so much bigger, and will need paving so that is going to add up with pavers, gravel, and hiring a compactor.

Front yard landscaping at my old house cost me about $30 for half a dozen horribly virulent prickly red roses (chosen mostly for the size of their thorns) and I aquired the mulch through nefarious means for free. Everything else in that front yard came from cuttings that were given to me.

But I have the time (with a 2.5 year timeframe for this house) to buy small plants and let them grow and grow my own plants from cuttings and I do all the work myself - if you are putting in established plants and get a landscaper to move your soil and mulch you're up for a LOT more.
 
Hi Kaf

I do have some ideas of my own but I am working with levels so it isn't straight forward. Also, most of the examples I've found seem to be lovely rear yards with great entertaining areas.

I need front aspect designs to look at and get ideas. Lots of parking/ driveways etc and that has to look good and enhance the kerb appeal. If you know of anything please direct me, I'd be very greatful. :)

Propertunity, a landscape architect designed outdoor space is supposed to add up to 20% to the home value or be the equivalent of adding a new bathroom or kitchen.

Really keen to know if any SS's have tested that theory :D
 
I do remember about 3k worth of topsoil in our landscaping quote. I asked why we needed topsoil as our existing soil is great and was told that they just put that into every quote... So yes, LOTS of fat in these quotes.

kaf
 
I think when they recommend 10% of value should be spent on outdoor design they mean both front and rear.

Here in Perth our sandy soil takes a lot of building up so we bring in decent stuff and keep adding to it.

I don't think its really the plants and soil that cost, it is the hard landscape and built features that add to the cost. I think more like you see on that show Dry Spell Gardening
 
Propertunity, a landscape architect designed outdoor space is supposed to add up to 20% to the home value or be the equivalent of adding a new bathroom or kitchen.

Really keen to know if any SS's have tested that theory :D

I've not tested it but would find it very hard to believe unless you are in a suburb where everyone is called Jones... First impression is important (street appeal) but I cannot believe someone will consider a nice front yard equal to an extra bathroom or bedroom, no way!

For frontyard stuff you could actually look at some of the nicer commercial work done (shops, restaurants) as well as botanical gardens and other big civic landscaping. They tend to be good with clean lines around driveways/concrete. Can be hard to translate this into small scale, I agree. Some of the architecture magazines are good for ideas. Go for a drive in swish areas and see what other people have done. Expensive new estates also tend to use landscaping firms so check out what they've done. Unfortunately anything to do with retaining walls will be expensive.

Cheers

kaf
 
Great idea about looking at commercial ventures, I'll try that.

Yes unfortunately the slope will probably mean installing a couple of retained levels. Still have to get a boat up to the top too so I'll need a sloped drive. Also considering a semi circular drive so we can drive out forward.

Our newer suburbs in Perth have levelled building blocks and generally they are limestone retained by the developer so their landscape costs are relatively minimal.

Others on my street who are updating are using terraces to retain. Here you have to keep front garden walls less than 500 cm in order to avoid the PA process.
 
My Neighbour is a landscaper and he said that 10% is the guide he goes by. That was for a new house with just dirt, so he does lawns. garden, decks etc etc. Can't say i'll ever be paying him to do my landscaping at those $$$ though.
 
I don't think its really the plants and soil that cost, it is the hard landscape and built features that add to the cost. I think more like you see on that show Dry Spell Gardening
Hell yes. We (sans landscape architect) have plans for one of those wanky outdoor entertainment areas (aka the 6mx6m dead space outside the kitchen window), fair bit of paving, maybe a pergola etc. Those suckers cost a lot. But considering the backyard is currently looking like a building site with trenches everywhere for the sewerage line move, the world's worst concreting job intermixed with ancient slate slabs, and the remnants of a bright orange lean-to in a big pile, it NEEDS work :eek:
 
For my own PPOR to enjoy the fruits of my labour/investing later down the track, maybe, not at this point though.

For an IP to generate cashflow / value / tenant demand - no way.
 
Propertunity, a landscape architect designed outdoor space is supposed to add up to 20% to the home value

Total crap!

get them to prove it!

A lot depends on the area but rarely would it add the same value as cost; it's a lot like swimming pools; spend $50k to generally add less than $20k in value - (in Melbourne that is)

It's the same with extensions .. spend $1800 plus per square metre onto a house that adds about $600/sqm in value to the land ... or like I heard on the radio recently .... a garage door add claiming it added up to $10k in value.

Before you spend any money .. remember back to when you were looking to buy your house .. how much more were you prepared to pay for a house with really nice landscaping over one without it??

cheers

RightValue
 
Thats the whole question really...

I've heard this is a guideline budget for developing the front landscape. It seems a lot but is it reasonable? The house is in a nice area and is one of the shabbier ones on the street (on the outside/ inside has been modernised).

A completed design concept with levels calculated is upwards of $3000.

Sure would. But only if I had just meet a supermodel that wanted to have my babies but only if I had an excessively expensive front garden.:)
 
This thread is making me want to kidnap a big beefcake to do the heavy work (I'm a 53kg elf and my partner is barely any bigger - we're "puny") and set up as a "landscape architect".

I'm a compulsive gardener. I've left a trail of pretty gardens behind me in my 17 odd years of adult life, rented, owned or other people's (here, take this plant and put it *there*, it'll look good).
 
Crikey you guys are so tight!

I'm going to get an initial appointment on site with two services. One charges $25 for the cosult the other charges $95.

The cheaper one doesn't charge quite as much for the design service either but it must be a case of you get what you are willing to pay for. This service hasn't got the same runs on the board and prizes as the first one has.

Just for the record, if I am buying, the first thing I consider is what the place looks like from the street. Plenty of places I don't even bother to go into if the dog can't be tamed.

Call me fickle, but I don't buy houses that can't be made to look pretty. :)
 
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